News RSS Feed Send your news, pictures & videos


St George's parade plan for Brighton

4:00pm Wednesday 25th January 2012 in News By Rebecca Evans

Marchers in Brighton last April Marchers in Brighton last April

Nationalists plan to march again in Brighton.

March for England announced on its Facebook site that it will hold a “St George’s Parade” through the city in April.

The march is planned for April 21 or 22, ahead of St George’s Day on Monday, April 23.

Sussex Police confirmed they have been contacted by the group about the event.

The group says it is not affiliated to right-wing organisations and is a non-racist group that allows people of all races to join.

However, past events have sparked trouble after counter-demonstrators faced off against marchers outside Brighton station.

Last year about 350 police in body armour were used to separate March for England members and Unite Against Fascism protesters.

About 300 March for England members attended the 2011 parade with about 100 counter demonstrators turning out.

Eight people were arrested but there were no reports of serious violence.

March for England said the event is not a demonstration but “a chance to show our English pride”.

The group said their own “security and stewards will be out to ensure a good day is had by all”.

No route has yet been fixed for this year’s march.

Last year marchers walked along Surrey Street, Queen’s Road, North Street and Pavilion Parade to Victoria Gardens.

March for England said ahead of the event that English Defence League members had been banned but banners of the far-right group were unfurled as people were escorted back to the station.

A Sussex Police spokesman said it is too early to predict how many people are likely to take part this year and what the police response will be.

He said: “We have been in initial contact with the organisers of March for England, as we have in previous years and as we do with all groups who want to hold events.

“They have informed us of proposed dates, but we have not yet had detailed discussions to help us plan the policing operation.

“We support free speech and have a duty to help facilitate peaceful events by any groups in the city.”

More news from The Argus

Daily Echo on Facebook - facebook.com/southerndailyecho Like us on Facebook

Google+ Add us to your circles on Google+

Comments(9)

thewhitehawker says...
8:29pm Wed 25 Jan 12

Sounds like a good march , apart from the anti -fascist movement !

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

HJarrs says...
8:47pm Wed 25 Jan 12

The people I saw on this march last year looked like a bunch of thugs and completely out of place.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

NickBrt says...
9:07pm Wed 25 Jan 12

Such a shame we can't as a nation celebrate our Englishness without racism, anti-fascism and all the rest embroiling itself. So many other countries celebrate their roots.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

papa_melons says...
10:15pm Wed 25 Jan 12

English pride ....... in what ?

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Yes i'm right says...
10:42am Thu 26 Jan 12

papa_melons wrote:
English pride ....... in what ?
Well now lets see!!! Mass immigration threatening our cultural identity...handouts to so called asylum seekers.....large houses for asylum seekers and their overblown families at the taxpayers expense.....mass unemployment....a sod you jack i'm alright attitude.....overpai
d bankers and business leaders....overpaid and overpublicised celebrities....overp
aid "professional" footballers!! The list is endless and something England can and should be proud of....NOT!!!

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

stir up says...
10:45am Thu 26 Jan 12

to papa-melons. Pride in the fact that we have the freedom to try to celebrate St George's Day. Pride in the fact that this country stood alone in 1939 against the Nazis. Pride in the fact that, and this is in fact a fact, and on record,that the first allied soldier to be killed on D-Day bringing back democracy to mainland europ, was and Englishman. Pride in our armed forces, pride in the fact that we provided so many inventions, including the first computer (see History of Bletckley Park Buckinghamshire) only don't tell the Americans as they thing they invented them. Pride in the fact that the world wide web was invented by an Englishman, who decided not to patent it and make a fortune, but to let it out so the whole world cound benifit. So they think before you speak, or write here.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

anonymous coward says...
2:41pm Thu 26 Jan 12

Where did this massive national insecurity come from?

Why would anybody but the most paranoid, insecure, scared, disenfranchised person think that going out on a march celebrates anything but mob mentality and bigotry.

If you want to celebrate England (or, better, Britain), go out for a nice cup of tea or a pint and think of all the free thinkers, eccentrics and mavericks who have defined this country.

You can start with Locke, Hook, Newton, Byron, Lovelace, Moore, Paine, Henry VIII (contentious!), Turing, Babbage, Pankhurst, Brunel and Russell.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

YORKIE68 says...
8:37pm Thu 26 Jan 12

I was at last years one, and the year before, its a great family day for those who wish to celebrate and exalt all that is English and good about being English. it is NOT an English defence league event and those that think it is need to have there heads tested. we should not have to apologies to anyone for being English and want to celebrate our nations saints day, you don’t criticize the Welsh, Scots or Irish for celebration their saints day?, no you join in.. to be English or celebrate all things English is not racist, fascist or intolerant, the racists, fascists and intolerant amongst you are the ones who support the UAF deadbeats. ENGLISH AND PROUD AND WE SHALL NOT HIDE BECAUSE OF IT!.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

mtmoocher says...
9:48pm Thu 26 Jan 12

From my experience of this rally, it seems to be anti-social.
.
Also, why is it that the most fervent supporters of this "celebration" seem to have trouble mastering the language?
.
BTW Aren't we all Europeans these days?

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

More News stories

Local Businesses

Most popular